An open letter to Stephen King regarding Rage

[nowave]

Dear Mr King,

I'm a 22 year old scottish man. Rage came out before I was born. The first book by you that I read was Carrie, and I immediately devoured anything of yours I could get my hands on. At 16 years old I found the Bachman Books, and immediately fell in love with the entire collection. The Long Walk was darkly beautiful, while The Running Man was a perfect piece of science fiction.

But my favorite of the four books would have to be Rage. When I read it, I was going through a dark time in my life and, i'll be the first to admit, my loathing for the people I attended school with could have rivalled any of your characters.

After reading Rage, my entire viewpoint on school changed.

So, years later, out of curiosity and my surprise at never seeing it sold individually I looked it up online, and found you'd withdrawn it from sale.

Now, I'm not criticising. I've read some of the things you've said on the subject, and I do understand why you felt you had to do it.

What I want to tell you is that for some, Rage was a wonderfully life affirming book.

For me, the point was never Charlie Decker shooting people, or taking his classmates hostage. It was the catalyst only, for the events that I found truly important in the book. The events that happen between those students in that classroom. The ways that their barriers begin to come down, and they realise they're not all as different from each other as you imagine when you're in high school.

We're all just folk in the end, with our fears and dreams and desires and terrors.

So I guess my point is this. Don't always think of school shooters when you think of that book. Maybe once in a while, instead, you can think of the depressed 16 year old from Scotland who's life you made better with it.

Yours,

Alex

[morefutility]

I am certainly not Stephen King (my cable bill is a month behind, bet that never happens in the King house these days), but I will say that your letter is very succinct and I certainly agree. I do understand why Mr. King would not want to be classified with Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Ozborne, Judas Priest, and every other pop artist who has supposedly caused shootings, suicides, late homework, etc. I think he is probably going for one of those rare phenomenas known as artistic responsibility. As a teen, I say posh. As a parent, its my job, but I dig it when the world gives me a lighter load now and then.

[thymeoperator]

i don't get this. ever read 'we need to talk about kevin'? that was about a high school massacre and so much more. it was controversial but...it's out there. oh well.

[thymeoperator]

if anyone is interested, i'd say try abebooks.com / .co.uk - there are TONS of copies of this going for sale for less than £1 at the moment! they ship from america so if you're already in the states it must be even cheaper, but i just got my copy for a total of £6.

[Travisisdead]

I wonder, if kids would read a book like this , before they turn 15, would it help? Or do people only think it would hinder? I don't remember when I read this story. I was an adult though. But, it still opens your eyes to the facts that we are all the same.
I think it's an amazingly tragic story. And, I agree with more futility , that artist responsibility. I just hate the "blame game" and don't think anyone should blame a book, a movie, a song or anything else for their personal actions.

[dwalters]

I wonder, if kids would read a book like this , before they turn 15, would it help? Or do people only think it would hinder?

Personally I think it would do more harm than good. I would love to believe that teens could read it and have an eye opening experience about the relationships between themselves and their peers that they would never have considered otherwise, but it seems to me that more and more kids out there nowadays are just swallowing up anything the media puts in front of them and imitating it. My best friend's wife teaches 6th grade in an upscale area, and you wouldn't BELIEVE the stories I have heard about what these kids are into and what they consider necessary to be accepted by their peers. If you've ever seen the TV show "Gossip Girl" for example, imagine a bunch of 11 and 12 year olds doing everything in their power to "be" the characters in that show and to do everything they do. Chalk it up to bad parenting or having too much money and not having enough to keep themselves occupied - I'm sure both are factors - but the world could do without a lot of the influences that kids today have to grow up with. As much as I enjoyed Rage and as much of a SK fan as I am, I absolutely have to agree with his decision to take it out of print.

[Tankuel]

personally i wish i had read this book ages ago.
i have anger problems myself
i deal with it by hobbies
had i read this book when i most needed it i probably would have had an easier time
if they take this out of print itll only show that parents dont want to deal with their children anymore. that they dont want to go through the bad times even if it leads to closeness with their children. if you have a kid younger than 15 and you're worried about how this book will efect them then talk to your kids first tell them what makes the decisions of the characters wrong and most importantly remind them that its a BOOK. locks do not equal bulletproof jackets

[Ariadne Dawn]

After months of it sitting on my shelf, I picked up Blaze tonight. (the trials of trying to find pleasurable reading time as a graduate student...) After reading the introduction (because I as a Constant Reader read everything, even when told I probably shouldn't *cough*DarkTowerending*cough*), I felt the need to come and write a note about my feelings for Rage (thanks to the footnote in said introduction). But I must admit I could not have said it any better than nowave.

I read my first SK book (Cujo) in the 8th grade, and quickly progressed through all of his available books by the end of 10th. And there was something about the Bachman Books (save Thinner) that drew me in like no other tales. And the best of these for me was Rage. My senior year, I even chose an excerpt from Rage as my selection for Serious Prose for Speech (competition) and took it all the way to semifinals at State. The glimpse into Charlie Decker's mind drew them in as well.

I learned very personal lessons from the tale as it unfolded.

With all due respect, Mr. King, the fear that drove you to allow printing to cease - because even after reading your reasons I believe the ultimate underlying reason was fear - saddened me. I have two copies of the Bachman Books on my shelf, and I will proudly loan out the paperback to anyone who I feel could get something from Rage .... and it has been loaned out many times post-West Paducah. Anyone seeking to commit such atrocities will do so, regardless of what they read, see, hear, etc. After all, it could be just a case of hating Mondays.

[Halestone]

Here here, a wonderful novel that I remember for the moral and characters of the story, not the early events.

[Delbert_Grady]

It saddens me that King felt the need to remove this great novel from the stores. I can understand why he must have done it, but I truly feel that it is a pointless endeavor. There has always been madness and violence depicted in art, just as there have always been people who will misinterpret such art as an endorsement of violence.

Why not pull "Carrie" from the shelves too.?.this novel could just as easily have been indicted on the same grounds as "Rage".

[Delbert_Grady]

Here are some comments from King regarding this matter (though I'm sure the Stephen King uber-fans will probably already have seen this...)

http://www.horrorking.com/interview7.html

[KellyM]

I gave my daughter "The Bachman Books" to read when she was about 15. She really enjoyed "Rage" and was fascinated by the "Long Walk" as well. Mind you, we live in Australia and have not had the problems of school shootings like you have in America (TOUCH WOOD).

[JamesMWatts]

I have never read Rage. I would love too, but isn't out-of-print. I do know finding it is impossible.

[Delbert_Grady]

I have never read Rage. I would love too, but isn't out-of-print. I do know finding it is impossible.

You can probably find a used copy of "The Bachman Books" at a used book store...this contains Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork, & Running Man. Also on ebay I have often seen copies of this anthology both hardback and paperback.

All the stories within are worth buying this book for, I assure you.

[king family fan]

I believe RAGE is an excellent book. With anything people are going to do what they do. I understand why King pulled this. But it seems that Rage was an excuse for them to use. King is not the reason for anyones own morals or actions. I enjoyed the book personally.

[Anna Rose]

i was just looking at some of the earlier posts about younger kids (under 15) reading Rage. i would just like to say i just finished a few days ago and i am 14. i loved the book and felt sorry for charlie, and a love for him at the same time. im not sure how this book has effected me quite yet, but i am pretty sure i will not hold my classmates hostage because of reading it, and as i said in another thread, i thought of it as more of a "class bonding session" :) but that might just be me...anyways i loved the book, probably one of my favorites!

[Shecat]

I have read every King novel that I could put my hand on , but have never read "Rage". Would love to know the plot!

[garygak]

tons of copies on ebay

[1BachmanKing9]

In this particular case King said that there was a kid who took gun to school to kill people and in the kids locker they found a copy of Rage. This was why he decided to take it out of print. I understand, but it's sad because that was a great book.

[RedRising]

It is my personal feeling (un-diagnosed) that I am a deeply disturbed individual with severe emotional problems.

I just got through reading Rage 2 days ago.

I knew nothing about the book except that Mr King had withdrawn it from print due to fear of it being an influence to school violence.

For the 1st half, I was Charlie. I lived the agony of being spoken down to and treated like a part of the job. My mind reeled back to my own school days and I was riding high on the vengeance Charlie wrought.

After that I didn't understand where the story was going. I imagined a Gung-Ho "all guns blazing" end and then Charlie's classmates started to tell their stories and I began to understand a little more. I'm not special, I never was. That stuff that happened to me in school was happening to everyone. The end of the novel left a lot for me to consider and I'm still processing it but already I feel that burn for vengeance less than I did.

That's got to be a good thing...right?

[Boni]

It's a great novel. I wish people were less sick, and stop basing their actions on books, movies, games...

[DarkPassenger]

It's a great novel. I wish people were less sick, and stop basing their actions on books, movies, games...

People DON'T base their actions on books, movies, games, etc..

That's why Rage falling out of print is such a pointless gesture. Rage didn't make Michael Carneal shoot people, nor did it make Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shoot people. Rage should be brought back into print ASAP because it's a missing jewel in King's crown.

[fljoe0]

People DON'T base their actions on books, movies, games, etc..

That's why Rage falling out of print is such a pointless gesture. Rage didn't make Michael Carneal shoot people, nor did it make Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shoot people. Rage should be brought back into print ASAP because it's a missing jewel in King's crown.

I agree with you, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were disturbed and "Rage" had nothing to do with that. Disturbed people do find books and movies that they but the books and movies are not what make them what they are.

As far as SK deleting it from his library, he almost had to do that. I'm sure SK doesn't think that Rage had anything to do with the mental state of those boys but he doesn't want Rage and his name becoming associated with tragedies like this. Maybe part of his decision has to do with the victim's families and friends too.

[blunthead]

People DON'T base their actions on books, movies, games, etc..

That's why Rage falling out of print is such a pointless gesture. Rage didn't make Michael Carneal shoot people, nor did it make Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shoot people. Rage should be brought back into print ASAP because it's a missing jewel in King's crown.I wish I could agree that people don't behave in response to such external influences such as the Media and the Arts. In fact, I think the Arts are meant to evoke positive internal responses. People reading sK may respond by taking up writing, for instance, or by taking up painting, if a character is a painter. The vast majority of people respond positively to art, which helps explain its longevity (please see "cave drawings").

A small minority are sick, whose consequent internal responses are negative. I agree, DarkPassenger, that the majority of people shouldn't suffer for the minority. Such is societal dilemma.

The reason I say Stephen King's decision to remove Rage from publication is not "pointless" is because he felt that if there was the slightest chance this book had resulted in or could result in the loss of life he had a responsibility to act. He stepped up. How can anyone know his doing so did not save lives? Maybe some bent sK fan out there saw sK's action and changed his mind. If so, King saved even that person's life, gave that person a reprieve, a second chance; the true humanitarian in action.